Saint Patrick is Losing His Halo

[babylonsister]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/22826

Saint Patrick is Losing His Halo
Submitted by dandewalt on Wed, 2007-05-23 17:56. Impeachment

Patrick Leahy, Vermont’s senior Senator recently replied to a constituent urging him to support impeachment efforts underway in the Congress to impeach Vice President Cheney. Consider these profoundly troubling utterances of Saint Patrick.

“Thank you for contacting me about Vice President Cheney. From the time President Bush and Vice President Cheney first took office in 2001, many Vermonters have shared with me their concerns about the actions and policy priorities of this Administration. Along with Senator Sanders and Congressman Peter Welch, I share the frustration and anger of the Vermont Senate and many Vermonters. I have strongly objected to a number of the Administration's policy objectives and am ready to restore checks and balances and close oversight of the Administration.”

What does it mean to “be ready” to restore checks and balances? As evidenced by Leahy’s inactions, it does not mean any investigation into unconstitutional actions taken by the President or Vice President. While the Senator is wasting weeks and months looking into the political firings of prosecutors by the Attorney General, Bush and company are unabashedly escalating troop levels in support of their occupation of Iraq, as well as issuing executive directives declaring that Bush will have control of the entire federal government if he deems it necessary.

We don’t need the Senator to share our frustrations and anger, we’ve got that pretty well covered as citizens. What we expect is remedial action by the Senators whose very job description is to provide checks and balances to executive power. “Strong objections” expressed in a photo-op does not cut it. If he’s ready to restore Constitutional balance, what is he waiting for, the President’s permission?

“ I have been opposed to the war in Iraq from the beginning and I am committed to pressing for an end to the war to bring our troops home. As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I will continue to push for aggressive oversight into many of these issues, including the mass firings of U.S. Attorneys.”

What does your commitment entail, Mr. Leahy? Commitment usually implies that actions will follow. Once again, your constituents are doing a fine job of voicing opprobrium; we look to you for action. Why are you not investigating that lies that were told by the President and Vice President in order to get us into this war? Why are you not investigating the roles of Bush and Cheney in making torture part and parcel of America’s intelligence gathering efforts? The firing of US attorneys is the only investigation that the Senator has thus far been willing to conduct. Mr. Bush must be quaking in his boots.

more...

[WI_DEM]

1. move to Vermont and run against him

[fooj]

2. St. Patrick 'aint no saint.

These are troubling times, indeed.

[WilliamPitt]

3. Ask the staffer who wrote that.

:eyes:

[tularetom]

4. A pompus posturing windbag with the spine of a slinky